


Another Time

by Suzie_Shooter



Category: Alex Rider (TV 2020), Alex Rider - Anthony Horowitz
Genre: Deleted Scenes, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:22:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24649411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suzie_Shooter/pseuds/Suzie_Shooter
Summary: After the events of Point Blanc, Alex runs into Yassen once more. This time he has questions.(TV-verse, set just post-series, contains spoilers for the series but not the books)
Relationships: Yassen Gregorovich & Alex Rider
Comments: 28
Kudos: 157





	Another Time

It was the stillness that drew Alex’s eye to the man standing on the Thames path. He wasn’t especially remarkable but he wasn’t looking at the view, or his watch, or even leaning on the wall, just standing patiently while the flow of tourists eddied around him.

Alex would have moved on, but some spark of recognition snagged his thoughts and he looked again, and this time he saw.

He didn’t know what made him go over, only that he had questions that were worth taking any risk to get answers for. And it was broad daylight in a crowded place. How dangerous could it be?

“Yassen, right?”

The man looked round and a startled expression passed briefly over his face, to be replaced by a careful watchfulness.

“Alex?”

Alex sensed this was a man who didn’t get surprised often, or easily, and it gave him a certain amount of satisfaction. 

Yassen had gone from staring at him to looking around them and Alex realised he thought he was bait.

“It’s alright. I’m alone,” he said quickly, only then realising what a potentially stupid thing that was to admit.

He wasn’t sure Yassen believed him, but he refocussed back on Alex and seemingly made the decision to stay.

“How the hell did you…?” He let the thought tail off, but Alex guessed what he was thinking, and gave an apologetic shrug.

“I just – saw you.”

Yassen shook his head slightly. “The one danger of the job. You can guard against everything but true coincidence,” he muttered.

“And what is that?” Alex asked. “Your job?”

Yassen studied him. “You knew my name. I didn’t tell you, so somebody else has. Which means you probably also know what I do.”

“They didn’t tell me much,” Alex admitted. “Can I ask you a question?”

“I can’t guarantee I’ll answer it.”

“Did you kill my uncle? Did you kill Ian Rider?” Alex stared at him, almost pleading. If Gregorovich said no, if this was just one more dead end, he didn’t know what he’d do. He wasn’t even sure what he wanted, revenge, closure – only that he needed to understand _why_.

Yassen was silent for some time, seemingly weighing up his response. In the end he merely gave a slight nod.

“Why?” Alex blurted, feeling suddenly breathless. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected – justifications, arrogance, threats. Not simply this calm acknowledgement. 

“He was getting too close to things he shouldn’t have,” Yassen said carefully. “It wasn’t personal. Just business. Someone wanted him out of the way.” 

“Business?” Alex strangled the word as it came out. “You killed him!”

“I kill a lot of people.”

“And that’s okay is it? Just – just going round destroying people’s lives like that?”

Yassen was looking at him with a strange expression. “I didn’t know,” he said, half to himself.

“Didn’t know what?”

“That he had a son.”

Alex blinked. “No – he was my uncle.”

Yassen shook his head. “Not Ian. John.”

“What?”

“You look so much like him.” Yassen was still staring at Alex so intently it made him uncomfortable. “The first time I saw you, it was – uncanny.”

“You – you knew my father?” Alex stuttered, taken aback.

“Yes. Very well.”

“Did you kill him as well?” Alex demanded, in sudden bitter suspicion, but Yassen shook his head.

“No. He was my friend.”

“How?” It was Alex’s turn to stare at Yassen. 

“You don’t know?”

Alex shook his head. “My parents died when I was a baby. My uncle brought me up.” 

“Ah.” Yassen gave him a thin lipped smile that might have held a sliver of apology. 

“Would you still have killed him? If you’d known about me?” Alex wasn’t sure what had prompted the question, only that Yassen’s attitude towards him wasn’t what he’d expected. To his surprise, Yassen appeared to seriously consider the answer.

“Probably. But I’d have felt bad about it.”

This time there was definitely a hint of laughter in his voice and before Alex knew what he was doing he’d slapped him admonishingly on the arm. It took them both by surprise, and Yassen hid a fleeting look of amusement.

“I should go,” he said, casting another wary glance at the buildings overlooking them. 

“Wait!” Alex called urgently after him and was surprised when Yassen turned back. 

“It was you, wasn’t it? At the school that night?” he asked.

Yassen gave him another appraising look. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“Just tidying up loose ends.”

“Thanks,” Alex said awkwardly. “I guess. You saved my life.”

Yassen gave a slight shrug. 

“How did you know which one was me?”

“Who says I didn’t shoot the wrong one?” Yassen countered, and Alex glared at him until he gave a slight laugh. “He was holding a gun, and your friend had just hit him. Besides, he was standing differently. I would know you anywhere now, I think.”

“Well that’s not creepy at all.”

Yassen half smiled, and conceded the point with a tilt of his head. “Go home Alex. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about Ian.”

“Who wanted him dead?” Alex demanded, but Yassen just shook his head.

“Goodbye Alex.” He started walking unhurriedly away, and Alex found himself running after him. 

“Wait! Tell me about my father. How did you know him?”

Yassen stopped again, and turned to look at him. Raising a hand, he brushed his thumb lightly across Alex’s cheek. “Another time, perhaps,” he said softly.

This time Alex didn’t follow, just watched him walk away until Yassen was swallowed up by the swirling crowd. He’d found the answer to his question, but it had thrown up so many new ones he felt quite bewildered. On reflection, he found he was only certain of one thing. 

He hadn’t seen the last of Yassen.

–


End file.
